Mastering Advocacy for STRs

Despite the #vacationrental industry’s inherent value to people and communities, a significant increase in restrictive operational measures threatens our existence.

The only line of defense STRs have against unjust #regulations imposed upon them are the concerned citizens, business owners, and community members who band together to advocate for property rights.?

Forming #advocacy groups and alliances is essential for the #sustainable welfare of our sector. I've been involved in advocacy since 2009 in Florida when the city of Venice, after losing a court case trying to zone out vacation rentals in the city, went to the state fire marshall and asked for an executive order mandating sprinkler systems for all vacation rentals.

Although most property managers agree that safety systems like this are crucial for properties, there are often various lengthy processes to follow and red tape to abide by when implementing standards.?

We worked with the Florida Vacation Rental Manager Association and hired a lobbyist to support our case. The association went to the state and convinced a senator that this was a horrendous overreach by the Attorney General, resulting in the Senate and the House passing a bill that dictated all properties needed to be treated equally.

The governor then signed that into law and in 2011, we passed a landmark preemption bill that prevents cities and counties from banning vacation rentals or regulating the frequency or duration for the entire country. Being on the offense and ensuring our alliance was proactive in our efforts allowed us to foster institutional change for our sector, which advocacy groups must do now.

A necessary part of advocacy, much like with any endeavor, is money. Alliances need to fundraise with other organizations and community members who understand the monetary and social value of vacation rentals.

I started the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) advocacy fund in 2018, which has been a lucrative tool for supporting the industry. In 2022, we raised over $700,000, and that money is allocated to communities asking for help in fighting against unfair regulations and to also go on the offensive to hire and retain #lobbyists.

Donations are the lifeblood of funding our battle to maintain our livelihoods and ensure our doors can stay open to facilitate the making of priceless memories for our guests.?

One of the best ways to sustain the vacation rental industry is to demonstrate its value to the people who believe otherwise.

I have personally sat with politicians who are completely unaware of the beneficial economic impact, which, once presented, they can be receptive to and even come around to joining our efforts.

The #VRMA is uniquely built to create economic impact and fair market housing studies to maximize cost efficiencies. We are currently working with Oxford Economics to develop impact studies to present to governments and citizens alike.

Overall, vacation rentals positively contribute to any neighborhood, bring revenue and rich culture for everyone to enjoy, and should be a protected and respected #community business.?